Meningitis Outbreak: Death toll reaches 100; Health Minister to brief Parliament

Health Minister, Alex Segbefia is expected to brief Parliament’s Health Committee on the steps being taken to curtail the rise in deaths from meningitis Wednesday.

The death toll in the meningitis outbreak has hit a 100 with over 500 recorded cases so far. The Brong Ahafo region is the worst hit with at least two districts crossing the epidemic thresholds.

The first reported death emerged from the Tain district last December. The disease spread to Wenchi, Techiman, Bruohan, Kintampo, and Sene in the Brong Ahafo region.

Northern, Ashanti, Eastern, Volta, Greater Accra, Upper West, Upper East and Western regions have also recorded cases of the disease since it broke in 2015.

The Central region is the only territory yet to record a case of the disease spread by dry weather conditions.

The situation has become a huge cause for concern as the Ghana Meteorological Agency has indicated that more dry winds should be expected between March and October.

Joy News correspondent, Precious Semevoh was at an annual performance review meeting of health officials over the issue and reported that although the outbreak in the Gyaman district of the Brong Ahafo region was serious, health officials say everything is under control.

Precious said the health officials have intensified their sensitization drive to curb the spread.

According to the officials, the main problem they have grappled with was how to get people infected with the disease to report early to the health centres.

Incidences of in Ghana from 2010-2015
The first case of meningitis in Ghana was recorded in the Upper West region in 2010. Out of the 1164 cases recorded, 128 people died.

In 2011, there were 790 cases with 104 deaths.
In 2012 the country recorded 956 cases with 90 deaths.

In 2013 there were 454 cases with 41 deaths.
In 2014 there were 477 cases with 39 deaths
So far in 2015 the country has recorded about 500 cases with 100 deaths

See Also
Meningitis Outbreak: Health officials urged to stop causing fear, panic

Meningitis Outbreak: PPP call for resignation of Health Minister

MoH deploys supplies for treatment of pneumococcal Meningitis

Pneumococcal Meningitis: Public Information
Video: What you need to know about Pneumococcal Meningitis

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Naa Sakwaba Akwa | [email protected]